The history of names and titles in pre-Meiji Japan

The history of names and titles in pre-Meiji Japan
氏名と姓 - clan names and heriditary court titles
The oldest form of a family name of the nobility in pre-Nara period 奈良時代 Japan was the
Uji 氏 of the hierarchically organized clans. Every Uji had its titulary god (Ujigami 氏神),
and Uji no Kami 氏上 (or Uji no Chōja 氏長者), clan chief.
The Ujigami was either a deity, or an early ancestor, and his followers were called Ujibito 氏
人 or Ujiko 氏子. The Ujigami of the Minamoto 源, for instance, was Hachiman 八幡, the
god of war.
The Uji no Kami, as head of the entire clan, verified the the right of those bearing such
patronymic names. One of the titles of the Tokugawa Shōgun line was “Genji no Chōja 源氏
の長者”, i.e. “chief of the Minamoto clan”.
To distinguish the different branches of the Uji, a system of titles according to their functions
was introduced, called Kabane 姓. When the Kabane became hereditary, they formed,
together with the Uji, the family name.
There were three groups of nobility: Shimbetsu 神別, decendants of the gods; Kōbetsu 皇別,
descendents of the emperors; and Bambetsu 蕃別, those of foreign (in this case meaning
Chinese and Korean) ancestry. The early Kabane were
Muraji 連 – for Shimbetsu
Ōmi 巨 – for Kōbetsu
Miyatsuko 造 – heads of professions
Kuni no Miyatsuko 国造 – territorial lords
Kimi 君– owners of large estates among the Kōbetsu
Wake 別– estate owners of branches of the Kōbetsu
Agata no Miyatsuko 縣造 – squires overseeing estates of the emperor
Inagi 稲置 - squires overseeing lesser estates of the emperor
Suguri 村主 – mayors
Later Miyatsuko was changed to Obito 首, and Kuni no Miyatsuka to Atai 直. The titles Osa
曰佐 for interpreters and Fubito 史 for scribes were added, as well as Konikishi 王 for nobles
of Korean descent.
At the Taika reform 大化改新 in 645, the heredity of the Kabane was surpressed, but those
Uji that had already added one to their name, continued using them. In 684, emperor Temmu
天武天皇 created eight Kabane, the Hassei 八姓, to reward his supporters in the Jinshin civil
war 壬申乱. They are
Mando / Mabito 真人
Asomi / Ason 朝臣
Sukune 宿禰
Imiki 忌寸
Michi no Shi 道師
Ōmi 臣
Muraji 連
Inagi 稲置
For distinguished services, some Kabane got the prefix Ō 大, e.g. Ō-Asomi . The Hassei
system was in use until the early Heian period 平安時代.
The increase in population of the nobility made it necessary to create new Uji to distinguish
between the spreading branches. Emperor Kammu 桓武天皇 gave some of his descendants
the Uji of Taira 平, and branches of the Fujiwara 藤原 took the character Fuji / Tō 藤,
combining it with another character to form names like Kondō 近藤, Naitō 内藤, Katō 加藤
etc. This is the origin of the actual family name, the Myōji 苗字.
受領 - gubernatorial titles
Japan was divided into 54 Kuni 国, or provinces, at the time of the Taika reform. Some of
those Kuni were divided later, and some were added, so that in 823 AD the number was 68,
which didn’t change until the Meiji 明治 restoration in 1868. The Kuni were ranked,
according to their size, as Taikoku 大国, Jōkoku 上国, Chūkoku 中国 and Gekoku 下国.
Originally governed by officials with the Kabane “Kuni no Miyatsuko” and “Inagi”, of which
emperor Jimmu 神武天皇 had appointed 144, they were replaced during the reign of emperor
Kōtoku 孝徳天皇 in the early Nara period 奈良時代 by the Kokushi 国司. The Kokushi,
gubernatorial officials, were headed by a Kokushu 国守, governor, and the titles they held are
called Zuryō 受領.
The Zuryō were (in descending order):
no Kami 守 (governor, title of the Kokushu)
no Suke 介 (vice governor)
no Jō 掾
no Sakan 目
no Shijō 史生
Depending on the size of the province, the titles below “no Kami” were further differentiated,
using either the prefixes Dai 大 or Shō 小 (in these cases the possessive predicate “no” is
omitted): Daisuke 大介, Shōsuke 小介, Daijō 大掾, Shōjō 小掾, Daisakan 大目, Shōsakan 小
目, Daishijō 大史生, Shōshijō 小史生.
Moreover, a professor of literature (with a number of pupils ranging from 20 to 50), and a
doctor of medicine (with 4 to 10 pupils) were assigned to each province. At first, the period in
office for the Kokushi was 6 years. In 702 AD, this was reduced to 4 years by emperor
Mommu 文武天皇, and again lengthened to 6 years in 755 AD by emperor Kōken 考謙天皇.
Later the assignment was 4 to 5 years, depending on the distance to the capital. Most Kokushu
took permanent residence in the capital, and were represented by Mokudai 目代 (also called
Rusushoku 留守職) in the provinces.
Domains with which the emperor rewarded princes or high officials were called Shōen 荘園,
the possessors thereof Shōji 荘司. The Shōji had only the produce of those lands, the land
itself remained imperial property. The government of the land became more difficult as the
number of Shōen increased; some territorial lords started calling their domains Shōen, too,
and in the eleventh century half of the country was thus converted into Shōen. Some emperors
tried to enact laws against this practice, but to no avail.
Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝, the first Shōgun, started reforming this system with the goal
of gaining stronger control over the lands. In 1185 AD he intrusted the administration of the
provinces to his vassals, who were called Jitō 地頭 in the imperial domains of the Shōji, and
Shugo 守護 (or Shugoshoku 守護職) when appointed to “assist” a Kokushi. The Kantō 関東
provinces, which were directly under his jurisdiction, were governed by Kuni-bugyō 国奉行.
The Shugo, who at first were called Sōtsuibushi 総追捕使, collected taxes, dispensed justice,
and levied troops in case of war, gradually extended their power over the Shōen, too, reducing
the Jitō to secondary positions. Yoritomo himself was known by the title of NihonSōtsuibushi 日本総追捕使 or Rokujūhakkakoku (68 provinces) no Sōtsuibushi 六十八ヶ国
総追捕使.
Another change came with Ashikaga 足利 Shōgunate. The Shugo became more powerful, and
some governed several provinces. After the Ōnin war 応仁乱, they began to replace the
Kokushi, gradually forming the class of Daimyō 大名, and the Jitō were replaced by Gokenin
御家人, house vassals. The Zuryō became in most cases merely honorific, awarded for merits
in battle etc., and the holders had no jurisdiction over the respective provinces. There were,
for instance, several Bizen no Kami 備前守 and Shinano no Kami 信濃守 at the same time.
Some exceptions applied, like the Shimazu 島津, Daimyō of Kagoshima 鹿児島, who bore
the hereditary title of Satsuma no Kami 薩摩守.
The capital – first Nara 奈良, and then Heiankyō 平安京 (present day Kyōto 京都), had its
own governors, the Sakyōshiki 左京職 for the eastern part, and the Ukyōshiki 右京職 for the
western part. The titles were Tayū 太夫, no Suke 亮, no Shin 進 and no Sakan 屬.
朝廷百官 - imperial government titles
The capital was home to a large body of ministries, agencies and boards, with countless
officials of whom many held titles according to their position. Although Chōtei Hyakkan 朝
廷百官 translates as “one hundred imperial government titles”, the number 100 isn’t to be
taken literally, meaning something like “numerous” in this case. The principal government
offices, and the offices and titles held by their respective officials, are
Dajōkan 太政官 (state council)
Dajōdaijin 大政大臣 (minister president), Sadaijin 左大臣 (minister of the left),
Udaijin 右大臣 (minister of the right), Naidaijin 内大臣 (interior minister), Dainagon
大納言 (fist class secretary), Chūnagon 中納言 (second class secretary), Shōnagon 少
納言 (assistant secretary), Daigeki 大外記, Shōgeki 小外記, Sadaiben 左大辨,
Udaiben 右大辨, Sachūben 左中辨, Uchūben 右中辨, Sashōben 左少辨, Ushōben 右
少辨, Sadaishi 左大史, Udaishi 右大史, Sashōshi 左少史, Ushōshi 右少史
* The Dajōdaijin was frequently replaced by the Sesshō 摂政 or Kampaku 関
白, and the Chūnagon was also called Kōmon 黄門. The latter title, for
instance, was bestowed upon Tokugawa Mitsukuni 徳川光圀, head of the
Tokugawa Mito branch, who therfore was known as Mito Kōmon 水戸黄門.
Jingikan 神祇官 (board for religious [Shintō 神道] affairs)
no Kami 伯, no Suke 副, no Jō 祏, no Sakan 史, no Kamube 神部, no Urabe 卜部, no
Tsukaebe 使部
Danjōtai 彈正臺 (high court of justice)
no In 尹, no Hitsu 弼, no Jō 忠 (Daijō 大忠, Shōjō 少忠), no Sakan 疏 (Daisakan 大疏,
Shōsakan 少疏)
Hasshō 八省 (eight ministries)
Nakatsukasashō 中務省 (placed between emperor and Dajōkan; duties: transmitting
imperial orders, petitions of functionaries, laws, decrees, historical annals, registers of
employment, dignities, taxes etc.)
Chūgūshiki 中宮職
Tayū 太夫, no Suke 亮, no Shin 進, no Sakan 屬
Ōtoneriryō 大舎人寮, Zushoryō 図書寮, Kuraryō 内蔵寮, Nuiryō 縫殿寮,
Onyōryō 陰陽寮, Takumiryō 内匠寮
no Kami 頭, no Suke 助, no Jō 允, no Sakan 屬
Shikibushō 式部省 (ministry of ceremonies)
Daigakuryō 大学寮
no Kami 頭, no Suke 助, no Jō 允, no Sakan 屬
Jibushō 治部省 (duties: genealogies, successions, marriage and funeral rites, public
mourning, theaters and music, imperial tombs, reception of foreigners etc.)
Utaryō 雅楽寮, Gembaryō 玄蕃寮, Shoryōryō 諸陵寮
no Suke 輔, no Jō 丞, no Sakan 録
Mimbushō 民部省 (home ministry; duties: census, taxes, building and repairing
bridges, agriculture etc.)
Kazueryō 主計寮, Chikararyō 主税寮
no Kami 頭, no Suke 助, no Jō 允, no Sakan 屬
Hyōbushō 兵部省 (war department)
Hayatozukasa 隼人司, Takazukasa 鷹司
no Kami 正, no Jō 佑, no Sakan 令史
Gyōbushō 刑部省 (ministry of justice)
Shugokushi 囚獄司
no Kami 正, no Jō 佑, no Sakan 令史
Ōkurashō 大蔵省 (storage of taxes, imperial gifts etc.)
Mokuryō 木工寮
no Kami 頭, no Suke 助, no Jō 允, no Sakan 屬
Oribezukasa 織部司
no Kami 正, no Jō 佑, no Sakan 令史
Kunaishō 宮内省 (department of the imperial household)
Daizenshiki 大膳職
Tayū 太夫, no Suke 亮, no Shin 進, no Sakan 屬
Kamonryō 掃部寮, Tomonoryō 主殿寮, Ōiryō 大炊寮, Tenzenryō 典膳寮
no Kami 頭, no Suke 助, no Jō 允, no Sakan 屬
Naizentsukasa 内膳司, Mondotsukasa 主水司, Mikitsukasa 造酒司,
Ōkindachitsukasa 正親司, Unemetsukasa 采女司
no Kami 正, no Jō 佑, no Sakan 令史
Rokuefu 六衛府 (the six imperial household troops)
From the Nara period 奈良時代 on, the emperor, princes and other high officials were
protected by the Toneri 舎人, imperial body guards. The Toneri were re-organized in
765, and the Efu 衛府, imperial guard, was established. There were three corps, and
those again were divided into the Sa-e 左衛 and U-e 右衛, the left and the right units.
Sakonefu 左近衛府 & Ukonefu 右近衛府
Taishō 大将, Chūjō 中将, Shōshō 少将, Shōgen 将監, Shōsō 将曹,
Banchō 番長, Kon no E 近衛
Sahyōefu 左兵衛府 & Uhyōefu 右兵衛府
Saemonfu 左衛門府 & Uemonfu 右衛門府
no Kami 督, no Suke 佐, no Jō 尉, no Sakan 忠
将軍 - military commanders
The Dazaifu 大宰府 army was posted in Tsukushi 筑紫, Kyūshū 九州, in 663 AD to protect
the coast against hostile forces from Korea and China. Gradually the Daizufu took over the
entire administration of the region. In 740, after a revolt, the Daizufu was surpressed and
replaced by the Chinzeifu 鎮西府. In 745 AD the Daizaifu was re-established, but Shōgun
Minamoto no Yoritomo abolished it in 1186 AD, and installed a Chinzei-Bugyō 鎮西奉行;
that title was changed to Daizaisotsu 大宰帥 in 1275 AD.
The titles of the commanders were
Dazaifu: no Sotsu 帥, no Daini 大貮, no Shōni 少貮, no Daigen 大監, no Shōgen 少監, no
Daiten 大典, no Shōten 少典
Chinzeifu: Shōgun 将軍, Hōkan 判官, Shuten 主典
The Chinjufu 鎮守府 was a special army founded to fight the Ebisu 夷 (later called Ainu ア
イヌ) in northern Japan. It was commanded by the Chintō-Shōgun 鎮東将軍 (also called SeiEzo-Shōgun 征蝦夷将軍 or Chin-Teki-Shōgun 鎮狄将軍). The title Shōgun was temporary,
only granted for the time of an expedition, and there was no fixed residence. In 812 AD,
Izawa in the province of Mutsu was selected as the seat of the Chinjufu. The chain of
command was Shōgun 将軍 - Gunkan 軍官 - Gunsō 軍曹. When Minamoto no Yoritomo
obtained the title of Seii-Tai-Shōgun 征夷大将軍, that of Chinjufu-Shōgun was abolished.
Yoritomo was the first military commander who received the title Seii-Tai-Shōgun – or, by
abbreviation, Shōgun 将軍 – for life and hereditary. This title was later held by the Fujiwara
藤原 (1220 ~ 1244 AD), some imperial princes (Shinnō 新王) (1245 ~ 1334 AD), the
Ashikaga 足利 (1336 ~ 1573 AD), and finally the Tokugawa 徳川 (1603 ~ 1868 AD), but all
were descendants of the Minamoto 源, a pre-requisite to becoming Shōgun. Oda Nobunaga 織
田信長, descendant of the Taira 平, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi 豊臣秀吉, a former commoner,
therefore never bore that title; Hideyoshi instead was appointed Kampaku 関白.
The Shōgun, from Yoritomo on, de facto ruled the country. Formally the emperor had to grant
this title, but he had no power – and seemingly also no desire – to refuse the investiture.
東百官 - military government titles
The Azuma Hyakkan 東百官 were titles conferred by the Shōgun on the Daimyō and Samurai
by analogy to the Chōtei Hyakkan granted by the imperial court. They, too, are called “one
hundred titles”, but there are only the following ninety-eight:
Ataka 恰
Ataru 中
Bukyoku 武極
Bunko 文庫
Bunnai 文内
Chūki 中記
Daini 大貮
Emori 衛守
Eni 遠炊
Fukuma 愎馬
Gukan 求官
Gunki 軍記
Gyōma 行馬
Hamon 波門
Hange 半外
Hayato no Suke 隼人助
Heigaku 平学
Heima 平馬
Hifu 肥富
Hoya 梅干
Hyōma 兵馬
Ichigaku 一学
Iori 伊織
Itsuki 斎
Ittōta 一問多
Iwao 岩尾
Kajima 加治馬
Kaname 要人
Kazuma no Suke 数馬助
Kinai 喜内
Kitōta 喜問多
Kogenta 小源太
Konomo 此面
Kosen 古仙
Koshoke 小所化
Kozen 小膳
Kume 久米
Kumon 宮門
Kurōzu 蔵主
Makita 牧太
Monya 門弥
Moteki 茂手木
Motome 求馬
Mozume 物集
Notoji 能登路
Onari 男也
Onto 音門
Ori 男依
Orie 織衛
Orii 織居
Orinosuke 織之助
Ōshoke 大所化
Sachū 左中
Sagenta 左源太
Sahei 左平
Samon 左門
Sanai 左内
Sazen 左膳
Seiki 清記
Shiba 司馬
Shinen 自然
Shingei 申芸
Shinzō 信像
Shisho 司書
Shizuma 志津摩
Shōden 将殿
Shōi 正遺
Shōni 小貮
Shoryō 諸領
Shubi 主尾
Shurei 首令
Shuya 主彌
Tachū 多仲
Tamba 彈馬
Tamiya 丹宮
Tamon 多門
Tange 丹下
Tanomo 頼母
Tanya 丹弥
Tennyo 典女
Tenrei 典礼
Tenzen 典膳
Tōma 藤馬
Tomō 兎毛
Uchū 右中
Uden 采殿
Udono 鵜殿
Uhei 右平
Umon 右門
Unai 右内
Une 宇禰
Utata 転
Uzen 右膳
Watari 亙
Yagara 矢柄
Yagyōbu 弥刑部

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